Exclusive First Listen: Experience Yamaha’s Unreleased Head-Fi Models! YH-4000 headphones and YH-C3000 headphones

[CaptainFantastic]

Well, there's literally zero chance I am not buying the C3000 when it's released.

 

[YAMAHA official]

Thank you HEADPHONE FESTIVAL SPRING 2025!

Next, HIGH END Munich 2025!

 

[GREQ]

Thank you HEADPHONE FESTIVAL SPRING 2025!

Next, HIGH END Munich 2025!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

 

[voja]

I've managed to dig out some new information about the HA-3000A. In all honesty, I'm still regularly searching for news about the YH-4000, YH-C3000, and HA-3000A... same routine I had when the YH-5000SE and the HA-L7A were first announced.

Before sharing that, I encourage you to re-visit @doctorK53's posts! Both got updated with new information from the videos.
Post #1
Post #2

Here's what I managed to find about the upcoming amplifier:

HA-3000A
● No “Sound Field” mode (Yamaha's DSP technology)
● It's being developed as a "purer headphone amplifier" [compared to the HA-L7A]
● Analog inputs: RCA, XLR (!!!)
● Digital inputs: USB-B, Coaxial, Optical
● Has a built-in DAC
● Features "floating & balanced amplifier" circuit topology" (as seen in Yamaha's speaker amplifiers)

Other observations I've made:

YH-C3000
● Will be included with a cleaning cloth
● The glossy paint finish on the wooden ear-cups is done by hand. It also sounds like the whole wooden housing goes through complex, lengthy, and labor-intensive process

YH-4000
● Has a black/silver Yamaha's tuning fork logo as opposed to YH-5000SE's blacked out one
● Has a silver stainless steel micro-perforation air dampener as opposed to YH-5000SE's black one
● Has a silver metal headband as opposed to YH-5000SE's black one
● Has a pair of hybrid ear-pads (leather/suede) as opposed to YH-5000SE’s two pairs of ear-pads (sheepskin leather, suede)

Sources:
https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2010322.html
https://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/202504/26/62571.html

And the two videos @doctorK53 shared. I used AI to translate both of them (https://turboscribe.ai), and also tried another AI solution (https://kome.ai/tools/youtube-transcript-generator) to get the YT video transcript, which I then pasted into Google Translate. They are far from perfect, but at least I was able to extract some sense from both videos.

 

[doctorK53]

I've managed to dig out some new information about the HA-3000A. In all honesty, I'm still regularly searching for news about the YH-4000, YH-C3000, and HA-3000A... same routine I had when the YH-5000SE and the HA-L7A were first announced.

Before sharing that, I encourage you to re-visit @doctorK53's posts! Both got updated with new information from the videos.
Post #1
Post #2

Here's what I managed to find about the upcoming amplifier:

HA-3000A
● No “Sound Field” mode (Yamaha's DSP technology)
● It's being developed as a "purer headphone amplifier" [compared to the HA-L7A]
● Analog inputs: RCA, XLR (!!!)
● Digital inputs: USB-B, Coaxial, Optical
● Has a built-in DAC
● Features "floating & balanced amplifier" circuit topology" (as seen in Yamaha's speaker amplifiers)

Other observations I've made:

YH-C3000
● Will be included with a cleaning cloth
● The glossy paint finish on the wooden ear-cups is done by hand. It also sounds like the whole wooden housing goes through complex, lengthy, and labor-intensive process

YH-4000
● Has a black/silver Yamaha's tuning fork logo as opposed to YH-5000SE's blacked out one
● Has a silver stainless steel micro-perforation air dampener as opposed to YH-5000SE's black one
● Has a silver metal headband as opposed to YH-5000SE's black one
● Has a pair of hybrid ear-pads (leather/suede) as opposed to YH-5000SE’s two pairs of ear-pads (sheepskin leather, suede)
● Dampening materials are replaced with resonant materials

Sources:
https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2010322.html
https://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/202504/26/62571.html

And the two videos @doctorK53 shared. I used AI to translate both of them (https://turboscribe.ai), and also tried another AI solution (https://kome.ai/tools/youtube-transcript-generator) to get the YT video transcript, which I then pasted into Google Translate. They are far from perfect, but at least I was able to extract some sense from both videos.

I was surprised by your passion and organised observation! As far as I found, it is almost same as my recognition from the articles.

Only one point which i could not find a coresponding Japanese information is:
"Dampening materials are replaced with resonant materials". They said dampening material of 5000SE was removed, but alternative resonant material was not mentioned explicitly in the two articles and two videos. (you might found another source, or it can be limitation of machine translation. Japanese is a minor language in the AI industry.)

In addition, ha-3000a has analogue output in the back panel according to a photo in av watch article. There are both xlr(!) and rca, indicated "PRI/LINE OUT". So ha-3000a can work in several ways:
- digital input headphone amp
- analogue input headphone amp
- digital input priamp
- analogue input priamp
- stand-alone dac
The last one may not be so attractive especially for high-end audiophiles, though theoretically possible using digital inputs and Line out.

 

[Umwelt]

Hope the HA-3000A has a nice design. The L7A is kinda cool but also kinda ugly.

 

[voja]

I was surprised by your passion and organised observation! As far as I found, it is almost same as my recognition from the articles.

Only one point which i could not find a coresponding Japanese information is:
"Dampening materials are replaced with resonant materials". They said dampening material of 5000SE was removed, but alternative resonant material was not mentioned explicitly in the two articles and two videos. (you might found another source, or it can be limitation of machine translation. Japanese is a minor language in the AI industry.)

In addiction, ha-3000a has analogue output in the back panel according to a photo in av watch article. There are both xlr(!) and rca, indicated "PRI/LINE OUT". So ha-3000a can work in several ways:
- digital input headphone amp
- analogue input headphone amp
- digital input priamp
- analogue input priamp
- stand-alone dac
The last one may not be so attractive especially for high-end audiophiles, though theoretically possible using digital inputs and Line out.

Thanks for the kind words ! I do my best to be of service to the community.

As for the resonant material, it must be the limitation of machine translation. I got that information from the first video (the longer one). I thought it made make sense, as Yamaha implemented resonance into the YH-5000SE's sound, but it looks like this might not be the case with the YH-4000. I will go back and edit this information out of my post. Thanks for pointing it out!

Many of my observations were the same as yours, as I used your sources I didn't want to repeat everything you said, so I only left a few of the exciting details (like the cleaning cloth and the hand-polished finish for the YH-C3000).

So far, I really enjoyed the amplifier section of Yamaha's amps. I'm wondering whether the HA-3000A will be any different. DAPs have gotten really advanced, so even something as small as a DAP can function as a very capable DAC (like the iBasso DAPs I used with the HA-L7A).

The HA-3000A and HA-L7A have the same:
● Pre/Line-Out ports
● Coaxial port
● Optical port
● USB port

These are just ports, and what I mean by this is that we don't know whether the HA-3000A will have superior bit size/sample rate through them.

The HA-3000A has an addition of balanced (XLR) analog input ports, which is something that would've been welcome on the HA-L7A. There will also be an option for the amplifier to be switched off (at the Line Out/Pre Out switch selection).

 

[HiFiDJ]

DAPs have gotten really advanced, so even something as small as a DAP can function as a very capable DAC (like the iBasso DAPs I used with the HA-L7A).

I guess my one quibble with the Yamaha headphones... While I appreciate it being very efficient to drive from even a DAP... Those with powerful desktop systems have limited volume range to work with.

So if you're listening for feedback, @YAMAHA official , maybe have a bit of inefficiency for the plenty powerful desktop systems out there... That or manufacturers stop with the hot outputs.

 

[voja]

I guess my one quibble with the Yamaha headphones... While I appreciate it being very efficient to drive from even a DAP... Those with powerful desktop systems have limited volume range to work with.

So if you're listening for feedback, @YAMAHA official , maybe have a bit of inefficiency for the plenty powerful desktop systems out there... That or manufacturers stop with the hot outputs.

And there is also a physical loudness limitation due to distortion of the driver. I'm expecting this to be gone with the YH-C3000, but whether it's possible to eliminate it on their Orthodynamic drivers, I'm not too sure.

Do you suggest Yamaha releases a pair of headphones that's harder to drive? Something like the Susvara? If so, I think maybe we could see something like that if Yamaha releases a flagship full-sized desktop headphone amplifier.

 

[HiFiDJ]

And there is also a physical loudness limitation due to distortion of the driver

True, though in practical listening I've never gotten them to distort (my personal listening level that is)... Other than in the very poorly recorded music I listen to!

Do you suggest Yamaha releases a pair of headphones that's harder to drive? Something like the Susvara? If so, I think maybe we could see something like that if Yamaha releases a flagship full-sized desktop headphone amplifier.

That would be interesting for sure - certainly a selfish request of mine.

We have a lot of overpowered gear that many inefficient headphones can't handle. Out of 64 clicks (attenuator) on my amp, I'm at less than 5 clicks, otherwise I'll blow my ears out.

For reference, my DAC outputs 1.6V which is slightly below many 2V components. Relatively, it's not that hot of an output.

There are some ways around it, mainly lower the volume digitally (wouldn't recommend), have a DAC with volume control (hopefully a high quality one), add in a preamp (passive or active), or get some inline attenuators. While a few of them are OK compromises, majority of the time sound quality is negatively affected (ime).

 

[YAMAHA official]

The HIGH END Munich 2025 is starting!
Come and try the unreleased high-end headphones, YH-4000 and YH-C3000.

We’ll be at H1, C01.
We also have a Hi-Fi booth at A4.1, E125.

 

[YAMAHA official]

The HIGH END Munich 2025 DAY2 is starting...

Heres some photos from our Headphone Booth!
We’ll be at H1, C01.

 

[GREQ]

The HIGH END Munich 2025 DAY2 is starting...

Heres some photos from our Headphone Booth!
We’ll be at H1, C01.

Looking forward to seeing this tomorrow!

 

[HiFiDJ]

Teaser from Lachlan...



He called them rich and sumptuous sounding.

 

[Kevintj604]

Ooooph. I’m three pages in and it’s spicy as hell in here. I’m excited to hear more thoughts on the closed back but it’s too hot in here to gather any helpful information. I’ll wait for some real world reviews.